2L time management Forum

[samiseaborn]

Doing research part-time for a prof a good or bad idea time-wise when journal membership notification still pending, job search ongoing? I tend to work better when busy, but can't get a grasp on how much work 2Lyear is going to really be yet. Anyone want to speak from experience?

[mbw]

Three weeks in: no journal, but three classes, a 3 credit supervised writing (45-60 pg "publication worthy" paper required) and a 4 person clinic (case going to trial and we're doing discovery and depositions now.) Didn't do OCI (no interest,) but now doing gov and 501(c)(3)s apps. I've found it much more reasonable this year, and am home every night by 5-6pm. I even signed up my youngest for soccer, knowing I could take her twice a week. And I have friends over for dinner at least once a week.

I know they say that in 2L, they "work you to death," but I'm just not feeling it. My PhD at this point (2nd-3rd year) was much more time consuming.

[revolution724]

Just started 2L, so I don't know how much more intense it is going to get, but my experience is very different from the above poster's. I rarely get home before 9 or 10 pm, have trouble finding enough time to get all my classwork done, hardly able to keep up with applications, and I can't believe I'm trying to move this month. No journal, 4 classes, externship + seminar. My guess is that YMMV and it all depends on how time-consuming the things you're doing are. I feel pretty stretched.

[GrapeApe]

They "work you to death" because many 2Ls take the path of "OH NOEZ!!!! LET MEH CRAM AS MANY ACTIVITIEZ AZ POZZIBLE IN MEH SCHEDUELZ!!!! Thus, everyone is looking to do Law Review, Moot Court, Secondary Journals, SBA, and extra-curricular clubs.

This isn't necessarily the path that everyone should take.

"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

[LoriBelle]

2L year is murdering me. 4 classes, law review, OCI, and working for a professor who is running me ragged. And I thought last year was bad...

[edcrane]

2L year is murdering me. 4 classes, law review, OCI, and working for a professor who is running me ragged. And I thought last year was bad...

The good news is that this is probably as bad as it's going to get, provided you don't run for a senior position on LR. 3L will be a breeze.

[samiseaborn]

Just started 2L, so I don't know how much more intense it is going to get, but my experience is very different from the above poster's. I rarely get home before 9 or 10 pm, have trouble finding enough time to get all my classwork done, hardly able to keep up with applications, and I can't believe I'm trying to move this month. No journal, 4 classes, externship + seminar. My guess is that YMMV and it all depends on how time-consuming the things you're doing are. I feel pretty stretched.

I completely forgot, I have to do the moving thing next month as well. Something to keep in mind, thanks.

I've got less class hours than before, but as a transfer I do have to worry about grades a bit more this semester. I guess I should really wait until hearing from a journal to decide. Thanks for the run down all, I just knew these last few weeks weren't indicative of the rest of the semester for me and needed some other perspectives.

[NYU2011]

I was an RA last year while on a journal and doing a job search. I never felt overwhelmed, but I told my professor upfront that I could do max 15 hours a week and he was very good about sticking to that.

[rbgrocio]

Doing research part-time for a prof a good or bad idea time-wise when journal membership notification still pending, job search ongoing? I tend to work better when busy, but can't get a grasp on how much work 2Lyear is going to really be yet. Anyone want to speak from experience?

I would take it. I'm doing 2 jobs, Law Review and school full time, and I'm married. So far, I have been able to keep up and I'm ahead on my reading. Ohh... and im doing the whole job search thing too.